“Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary proof”
Carl Sagan’s famous quote is specious reasoning. One doesn’t need extraordinary proof, one only needs a simple fact.
Fort’s larger point was that when people are confronted with realities that don’t fit their world view they simply ignore them or do not adjust their point of view.
I don’t think it was zp3cious at all. Extraord8nary claims will need evidence to back them up beyond a reasonable doubt. It doesn’t mean “irrefutable 100% proof”, but rather “beyond reasonable doubt proof”. The Bible has much that relies on enough evidence to provide a beyond reasonable doubt proof even though it can’t produce 100% irrefutable proof.
Carl Sagan’s famous quote is specious reasoning.
Well said. If someone says, “Don’t go in the water, I saw an extraordinarily large great white shark,” you don’t need extraordinary proof—you just need a credible fact. And it isn't the other person's responsibility to prove it anyway.
Your second point is equally solid. I’d even add that when people are confronted with something that has the potential to cause ontological shock, they don’t just ignore it—they often reject it outright, and respond with anger, dishonesty, and ridicule.